Leo's POV Through the window, I saw Ivy. She was lying on a bed, her face bathed in soft moonlight, her expression serene—more peaceful than I had ever seen her. She had this slight smile on her lips, as though she was dreaming of something beautiful. My heart clenched painfully. She’s at peace? Here? In the same land that haunted her and gave her nightmares? Theo growled low in my mind, jealousy and anger rising at the thought of her finding solace here—without me. The urge to burst in, yank her away, and shatter whatever fragile peace she had dared find in this place surged within me. But beneath that storm of emotions, I felt something else. Sadness. Because deep down, I knew—I hadn’t been able to give her this. Ivy stirred, her body stretching languidly as though she had slept soundly for the first time in ages. As if sensing my presence, her eyes fluttered open, locking onto mine—golden, glowing wolf eyes peering through the window. She froze, confusion flickering across her
Leo's POV “You think a flimsy bond can keep her tied to you forever? You have no idea what a real bond feels like.” Connor’s defiance faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered. “She was mine first. The moon goddess marked her for me before you ever knew her name.” His words only fueled my rage, but something deeper gnawed at me—a cold, calculated need to understand the full extent of this bond he claimed existed. I didn’t want to just break him. I wanted to crush any hope he had of ever reclaiming her. “Aww she marked her for you?” I said, my voice dangerously low and mocking. “And yet, here she is… running to me. That mark of yours—weak. Fragile. A symbol of something already fading.” I leaned in even closer, until my mouth was near his ear. “Do you feel it, Connor? The bond weakening every time she touches me?” His eyes widened, a flicker of fear and anger passing through them. Good. I loosened my grip just enough for him to catch his breath. He coughed violently, but
Ivy’s POV How did he even get into our company?I tried to ignore him—tried to convince myself that walking away was the only way to keep my sanity intact. But the moment Connor’s hand wrapped around mine, pulling me into him, everything shifted. It was as though the storm raging inside me suddenly stilled, and for the first time since last night, I could breathe properly. I fought the urge to lean into him, to draw strength from his presence, but it was futile. Deep down, amidst all the chaos surrounding Leo and me, a dangerous thought crept in: Connor was someone I could trust. He was my mate, after all… right? Could the past repeat itself? I didn’t want to leave Leo, but the nightmare I had—it felt so real. What if it wasn’t just a dream? I shook my head, trying to snap out of it. Yet, the feel of Connor’s hand on mine sent a warmth through my body that made me weak. My resolve crumbled beneath the weight of exhaustion, and before I could stop myself, I stumbled. Sleep threat
Ivy's POVThe voice belonged to a figure stepping out from the shadows of the hallway. A woman—tall, graceful, and eerily familiar. Her hair cascaded in dark waves, and her sharp black eyes locked onto my frame with a mixture of anger and hatred. Is she really my mother? I remember asking myself this question over and over again. How could she bear to treat me the way she did? And even after all these years, the hatred still burned fresh.Aria.I hadn’t heard that name in years until my past came clashing with my present. It was a name I had long buried, a name tied to a past I wished to forget—a past filled with lies, hatred, and betrayal. A past I had longed to return to in my moment of weakness.Leo’s grip on my waist tightened as he pulled me closer, his body tensing with unease. “Who are you?” he demanded, his voice low and dangerous.The woman didn’t flinch. Instead, she took a step forward, her gaze never leaving mine. “Don’t play games with me, Aria. You know exactly who I am
Connor’s POV I sat in the dimly lit room, staring at the empty bed Aria was lying on hours earlier. The tension in my muscles refused to ease, even as I rolled my shoulders. My neck still stung from where her fiance had gripped me earlier, but it wasn’t the physical pain gnawing at me—it was something deeper. Something I didn’t understand. My wolf had been restless ever since we first met him. Every time I caught a whiff of him, my wolf would growl low and whimper in frustration. It made no sense. Why would his presence agitate me so much? I clenched my fists, trying to keep calm. Who is he, really? How did he even find my pack’s location? I doubt he’s been here before—I would have remembered him. And yet, there was something unsettlingly familiar about him, something I couldn’t quite place. Then there was her—Aria. Or Ivy, as she now called herself. She lay peacefully on my bed earlier, completely unaware of the storm she had brought with her. Seeing her again after all these ye
Ivy's POV Night had fallen by the time we reached the outskirts of Leo’s territory. The cool breeze whispered through the trees, carrying the scent of pine and earth. I dismounted from his back, my mind still swirling with the events of the day. Everything had been tense, but manageable—until now.The air around me seemed to shift, growing heavier, pressing down on my chest. Then, without warning, a sharp pain shot through me, knocking me to my knees. It wasn’t the kind of pain I’d expect from exhaustion or injury—it felt primal, ancient, as though something within me was being pulled apart and reassembled.Leo was at my side instantly, his warm hand on my shoulder. “What’s wrong?” His voice held a rare note of fear.“I—I don’t know,” I gasped, clutching my chest. It felt like my heart was trying to burst out of my ribcage, but there was something more—something strange. As though my body remembered a transformation I’d never undergone, some power that had stirred only once before an
Ivy’s POVThe soft, distant howl broke through the night again, this time sharper and more insistent. It lingered in the still air, wrapping itself around me like icy tendrils. My breath caught, and a shiver ran down my spine despite the lingering warmth from the shower. I turned off the water abruptly, my heartbeat quickening. Wrapping myself in a bathrobe, I tried to push away the unease clawing at the edges of my mind. But that sound—wild, raw, filled with anger and something primal—refused to be silenced. It wasn’t an ordinary wolf’s call. Something was wrong. I dressed quickly, my movements hurried and jerky as I tried to focus. My senses felt sharper, as though my body was reacting to something before my mind could process it. The howl replayed in my memory, over and over, each note stirring a deeper sense of dread. When I stepped out of the bathroom, the room was empty. Leo was gone, the door leading to the hallway slightly ajar. Faint voices floated in, one of them sha
Ivy’s POVThe morning sun spilled through the sheer curtains, painting the room in soft gold. Yet, the warmth did little to chase away the unease curling in my chest. I hadn’t slept, not really. My mind replayed the events of the night before—the distant howls, Leo’s sharp commands, the tension in the air that had felt like it might snap at any moment. And yet… nothing had happened. At least, nothing I knew of.I had slept off on the couch downstairs last night while waiting for Leo. He must have carried me up here. I didn’t even hear him leave this morning.What did he find? Was it something serious? Why are all these things happening now? Why is the life I left behind forcing itself back into my carefully crafted world?I slipped out of bed and padded to the balcony, the city stretching out before me in sleek glass and steel. It was a stark contrast to the forest beyond the mansion’s borders, where danger had prowled under the cover of night. The view here should have calmed me, rem
IVY'S POV“No!” I thrashed, every limb rebelling as I strained against the chains. “Get your filthy hands off me! You’re all monsters!”The burn of the restraints cut deeper, but I didn’t care. My voice tore through the chamber like a wounded beast. “You think this makes you powerful? You think having your way with a chained woman makes you a king? You’re nothing, Alpha. Nothing but a coward too weak to accept rejection. Your mate despised you. I despise you too!”The Alpha stood in front of me, unshaken. His eyes gleamed—not with rage, but something worse. Hunger. Satisfaction. Humor.He turned to the sorcerer, his voice low, almost casual. “If I spill my seed into her… will it hold?”The sorcerer’s breath caught, then his face lit up as if struck by divine revelation.“Oh… oh, my King,” he murmured, sinking to one knee. “You are brilliant beyond compare. A true leader. Of course! Of course! If she bears your heir, the bond will be forever weakened. No Alpha would dare claim a woman
The estate loomed into view like a palace of memories she wanted to bury. The towering gates, the long marble driveway, the manicured hedges. To anyone else, it looked like luxury.To her, it looked like a trap.A trap that could destroy all her plans.The moment they stepped inside, staff rushed to greet her. She didn’t recognize any of them despite their attempts to be friendly. They all wore the same annoying expression—concern mingled with curiosity.As if wondering what had really happened to Miss Ivy.Lila smiled.Fake. Perfect. Practiced.She had no choice now.“It’s good to be home,” she said smoothly.Richard narrowed his eyes slightly but said nothing.They led her up to her room, the unfamiliar halls pressing in around her like the walls of a tomb. The maids bustled in behind her, changing the sheets, restocking the drawers, pretending not to notice the tension radiating from her.When they left, she stood in the center of the room, staring at her reflection.Ivy stared bac
The scent of antiseptic hung thick in the air, cold and suffocating, clinging to the sterile white walls like a ghost that refused to leave. The room, though bathed in daylight streaming through a narrow, barred window, held no warmth. The only sounds were the distant echo of shoes on tile and the low, mechanical hum of machines monitoring the fragile boundary between sanity and madness.In the center of it all lay Lila.Or as the staff here knew her: Ivy Blackwood.Her brown hair was disheveled, matted to her forehead with sweat. Her pale skin, once radiant with carefully curated poise, now looked wan and haunted. Her eyes, wild and rimmed with exhaustion, flicked around the room like a cornered animal searching for an escape. But there was none. The straightjacket bound her arms tightly to her torso, and leather restraints anchored her ankles to the bed frame.She hadn’t spoken since the screaming stopped.The nurses whispered when they thought she couldn’t hear. Said she was mad. T
Leo’s POVThe battlefield quieted, save for the crackling fires and the groans of the dying. My pulse still thundered in my ears, but the bloodlust began to ebb, leaving behind a sharp, aching clarity.I stood among the ruins of Malrik’s failed rebellion, blood soaking my skin, teeth still stained from the life I had ripped from their veins. The night was far from over—I could feel it, like a splinter in my mind. Something dark was coming.The air shifted.Colder. Heavier.Even my warriors sensed it. Their post-battle roars died out, one by one, and an unnatural silence swallowed the clearing. Connor’s lips curled into a snarl, Zane’s claws still dripped red, but their eyes darted to the treeline.Then I saw her.She stepped out of the shadows like smoke made flesh.Dina.The last time I saw her, she stood in front of my throne room, asking me to sacrifice my mate. She hadn’t changed—still dressed in her dark robes that rippled like oil in the wind, her face pale and ageless, her eye
Ivy’s POVThe fourth day turned out to be the worst.Worse because I am still alive. Worse because every time Alpha Raul marked me, the pain got sharper. Deeper.And every time, my wolf—valiantly, defiantly—rejected him.The room stank of sweat, old blood, and Alpha Raul’s scent—thick and clinging like rot. My body was raw, my neck a patchwork of torn flesh where Raul had tried to mark me over and over. But my wolf—the last spark of resistance I had left—rejected him every time. And each rejection felt like death.The mark was slow to heal, and before it could fully fade, Alpha Raul would sink his teeth into the same spot—reopening the wound and claiming it all over again.Each time he sank his fangs into me, it was as if my soul was being torn in half, only to be stitched together by burning wire. I would scream until my voice gave out, until my throat was ragged and raw, until the pain folded me into unconsciousness. But every time I came back, chained and shivering, he would try a
Leo’s POVThe air crackled with energy as I stepped onto the battlefield, the scent of war thick on the wind—blood, sweat, steel. The moon hung low, bloated and red like it was thirsty for carnage. Good. It would feast tonight.My boots crushed charred earth as I led my warriors across the eastern border of the palace, where Malrik’s pathetic rebellion had gathered like a swarm of diseased rats. I could hear their howls echoing in the distance, could hear the roar of their chants—wild, desperate, undisciplined. Fools.Zane met me at the front lines, blood already staining his cheek and his blade. “They’ve broken through the outer ring,” he said breathlessly, “but they’re sloppy. No formation. Just brute force.”I sneered. “Then let’s show them what real force looks like.”I shifted.Bones cracked, flesh tore, and a searing fire ignited in my veins as my wolf burst free. My muscles expanded, fur black as shadow blanketing me, claws gleaming like blades. But it wasn’t just my wolf—my va
Leo’s POVMy hand shot out, grabbing Dante by the throat again —but this time, I didn’t squeeze. I leaned in, my golden eyes burning with a primal, ancient rage. Does the name Blackwood ring a bell?" I growled, my face mere inches from his. I watched his features quiver, the slight tremor betraying the fear he was too proud to voice.He didn’t answer. Didn’t even blink.Rage ignited in my veins. My fist slammed into his face—once, twice, again and again—until the wet crunch of bone and flesh filled the air. Blood sprayed across my shirt, warm and slick, but I didn’t stop. Not until his head lolled and his breath came in ragged, shuddering gasps.“Ivy Blackwood,” I murmured, my voice like a death sentence. “The woman you kidnapped weeks ago. The one whose life you almost ruined. The one you would have killed if she hadn’t escaped you.” Dante's body jerked violently beneath my grip, his muscles spasming as I held him in place. I struck his face—once, twice—the sharp crack echoin
Leo's patience snapped.The power in his voice sent a tremor through the air. “You have no idea who you’re speaking to! I am the Alpha King. She is my mate. How dare you harbor feelings for the Queen of our realm?” Connor’s expression faltered, his eyes flickering with something unreadable. Then— Leo’s golden irises darkened, flashing with raw power. Connor’s wolf recognized it.A shudder rippled through him. His wolf whimpered, instinctively bowing its head. Leo stepped closer, his voice a deadly whisper. Realization struck him like a bolt of lightning. This was it.This was why his wolf instinctively bowed whenever Leo spoke. This was why his body yielded despite the Alpha blood running through his veins. The truth settled in his bones, heavy and unshakable. ‘So this is the invisible king of our realm…’The man who ruled from the shadows. The one who never showed his face, yet his presence alone commanded submission. The ruthless, unchallenged ruler every pack whispere
Alpha Raul’s growl ripped through the chamber, primal and raw, shaking the very walls. His claws unsheathed in an instant, his chest rising and falling with ragged fury. But Ivy? She only smiled.“Like I said,” he murmured, ignoring Ivy's taunts, his grip tightening on her jaw. “I’ll do what I didn’t do last time. I’ll mark you as mine.” He leaned closer, his breath hot on her face. “Only then will you know your place. Only then will you learn total submission.”The words sent ice plunging through my veins. Ivy's eyes widened. “No. No, you can’t fucking do that.” She fought, jerking her head away, but his grip was iron. “Hold her down!” His men obeyed instantly. She screamed as they pinned her down, their hands like shackles against her arms and legs. Her body shook violently, every instinct inside her roaring in defiance. The king’s fangs elongated, his pupils dilating as his gaze locked onto her neck. His breath was warm against her skin, and she knew what was coming